Look who’s coming to dinner in Istanbul

An RFE/RL column on Erdogan’s meeting and photo op this week with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Bosnian Muslim member of Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency, Bakir Izetbegovic, suggests Erdogan may be sending a message to Brussels on his vision and agenda to wield political influence in the Western Balkans. In describing Turkey’s current approach to the Western Balkans, the column notes the meeting with Vucic and Izetbegovic together was “like having the wife and the mistress under the same roof,” as Ankara is investing financially in Serbia while giving cultural love to Bosnia, particularly its Muslim population.